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Rapid response to:

Research

Perinatal mortality and severe morbidity in low and high risk term pregnancies in the Netherlands: prospective cohort study

BMJ 2010; 341 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c5639 (Published 03 November 2010) Cite this as: BMJ 2010;341:c5639

Rapid Response:

A harmful symbol of "natural childbirth"

The message transmitted by the photo presenting the Dutch study about
perinatal mortality and morbidity is a recipe for long, difficult, and
therefore dangerous birth. It is symbolic of how "natural childbirth" is
perceived today: the baby's father on hands and knees is twisting his neck
to keep an eye-to-eye contact with his wife/partner.

As long as such inappropriate powerful visual messages are
transmitted by most natural childbirth groups, one can expect that
childbirth in the framework of primary care (particularly home birth) will
remain associated with unacceptable rates of intrapartum related perinatal
mortality and morbidity.

Competing interests: No competing interests

05 November 2010
Michel R Odent
Director
Primal Health Research Centre